Following requests from readers trying to find out what they can do with surplus fruit and veg, we have created an online database linking growers with food producers.

There are many family run specialist food producers around the UK, who will take in or harvest surplus fruit and veg in return for a quantity of the finished product.

The UK has many gardens which are home to old varieties of fruit which are full of flavour and go to waste every year, as well as those types of fruit which are no longer in commercial cultivation, such as Quinces and Medlars.

Thanks to specialist food producers, we are now starting to see a revival in the use of these rare varieties, harnessing recipes and skills from our past.

Medlar Jelly, juices from pears and apples, along with wines and ciders are among the many British products now gracing our shelves. So full of unique flavour, they make a welcome change to the usual mass produced fare.

If you would like to be added to our list of growers and producers, then please contact us via the comments section at the end of this post.

Our three year old heritage apple trees have yielded their first fruits this year and the taste is out of this world!.

September has arrived and with it, the first crop of apples from our recently planted heritage apple orchard and although the yield is

Scotch Bridget

not vast, the taste and quality of the fruit cannot compare to the bland supermarket varieties.

We planted five eating apples and five cooking apples, all of varieties suited to a northern climate and all grafted onto dwarf rootstock, which should give us more manageable plants.

Our apples were supplied by Adam's Apples in Devon and we sought their advice on the best varieties suited to our region which would tolerate being grown as cordons or small trees.  On tasting, I have to say, the selection is outstanding; the eating apples have such diverse flavours and colours and the cooking apples have wonderful textures and flavours.

The crop this year has not been big enough to store but some of the cooking apples have been prepared for the freezer and should last well into the winter.

We always garden organically, using no pesticides or fungicides and as a result, one or two of the fruits may have the occasional blemish but these are nothing more than slight skin imperfections and in no way detract from the flavour of the fruits.

The trees will be given a good mulch and feed this winter and we look forward to next year's crop.

More information

Adam's Apples - Talaton plants in Devon supply a huge range of heritage apple varieties along with very helpful advice and expertise.

An article in Horticulture Week points to changes that may lead to relaxation of the heritage seed rules.

EU rules currently state that if a variety is not on a national list, you can't sell it.  This list was set up with the commercial seed sector in mind but the amateur gardener became needlessly inconvenienced by this legislation. A seed variety costs around £1,500 to register at present.

Heritage, unregistered varieties are only able to be grown via seed swapping amongst enthusiasts and the varieties rely heavily on Seed Guardians who grow the plants specifically for their seed to preserve the variety and allow a selection of seed to be available for those interested.

Revived varieties of tomatoes, cabbages and lettuces could come onto the market in two or three years if  the Food and Environment Research Agency (FERA) relaxes the legislation.

Some vegetable varieties are grown for outstanding flavour or perfomance in a particular environment.  These may soon be available again with gardener's being able to grow varieties that their parents or grandparents favoured.

Read to full article in Horticulture Week.

A few specialist suppliers who offer heritage seed and plants

The Golden Spire apple was reported to have been discovered in 1850 by Richard Smith of Worcester.

Golden Spire apple

Fruits have a dense, crisp flesh with an acidic, astringent flavour.

Uses: Culinary
Parents: Unknown
Flowers: Late April to Early May
Picking: Early September
Natural Storage: September - October

The Golden Spire apple can be found growing in the orchards of Acorn Bank House, Temple Sowerby, Cumbria.

The Carlisle Codlin apple is thought to have originated in Carlisle in Cumbria and records show evidence of it's presence before 1830.

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Fruits have a rather soft and slightly coarse textured flesh, juicy and mildly acidic. The skin is very smooth and shiny when ripe.

Cultivation of this apple is probably only of local heritage interest, it does not have a good flavour and its very upright habit, makes picking of the fruit difficult.

Uses: Desert
Parents: Unknown
Flowers: Early May
Picking: Late September
Natural Storage: October - December

The Carlisle Codlin apple can be found growing in the orchards of Acorn Bank House, Temple Sowerby, Cumbria.

The Apple Charles Ross was raised by it's namesake, a gardener at Welford Park Gardens, Newbury, Berkshire.

Charles Ross

First exhibited in 1890 as Thomas Andrew Knight ( Then President of the Royal Horticultural Society) but renamed Charles Ross at the request of his employer, Captain Carstairs in 1899.

The apple won the RHS Award of merit and a first class certificate in 1899.

Fruits are rather course in texture, juicy and sweet with a moderate flavour.  The skin bears an orange / red flush.

Easy to grow and scab resistant, this apple bakes well and is a valued garden apple.

Uses: Dual purpose (mainly desert)
Parents: Female - Peasgood Nonsuch x Male - Cox's Orange Pippin
Flowers: Mid May
Picking: Mid September
Natural Storage: October to December.

The Apple Charles Ross can be found growing in the orchards of Acorn Bank House, Temple Sowerby, Cumbria.

A recent visit to one of the local stores and we came across this apple with a local name.

The Egremont Russet, according to the Orange Pippin online directory, is a classic English russet apple from the Victorian era.

The website goes on to say that the apple taste is traditionally described as "nutty", with a  flavour  more delicate than most varieties, and quite sweet. Both the flavour and the soft flesh are reminiscent of a firm pear. 

The history

The Egremont Russet was first recorded in 1872, and is believed to have been raised by Lord Egremont at Petworth in Sussex, UK.

It received the Award of Merit from the RHS in 1980.

As far as we can acertain the name has no connection to the Northern English town of Egremont, famous for the Crab fair.

Russeting is the term used to describe apples whose skin is dry and coarse, similar to fine sandpaper. 

More information

http://www.guardian.co.uk/news/2003/nov/17/food.foodanddrink

The National Fruit Collection at Brogdale